Radio Tongu 92.1 MHZ was forcefully shut down this morning, 20th April 2020, at around 9 am by the NCA and National Security after illegal operations on Saturday, 18th April 2020.
In a press release dated 13th April 2020, the community radio was suspended with immediate effect by the National Communications Authority (NCA) on the grounds of national security and public interest.
However, Paragraph 11 of the press release says, ‘The NCA will engage the District Security Council (DISEC) of South Tongu District in due course for advice on any changes in the security and public interest concerns relating to Radio Tongu.’
The so-called public interest in the NCA’s press release is a petition made by a group calling themselves Concerned Citizens Of Tongu complaining about the manner in which Radio Tongu was being managed and operated by the Manager of the station, Mr. Bestway Zottor.
And the ‘national security’ mentioned in the NCA’s press release is an allegation by the same Concerned Citizens Of Tongu on 9th January 2020, saying that Mr. Bestway Zottor was using the radio station for defamation, religious confusion, and promotion of the separatist agenda of the Western Togoland movement.
However, on 30th March 2020, Tongu Community Multimedia Network (TCMN), the operator of the radio station wrote an undertaking on behalf of Radio station to the South Tongu District Security Council concerning their promotion of the separatist agenda of the Western Togoland movement.
According to the letter, Radio Tongu has with immediate effect indefinitely suspended their education on the separatist agenda of the Western Togoland movement.
The District Security Council (DISEC) for South Tongu then asked the radio station to provide them with the following:
- Actual owner or owners of Radio Tongu
- Names of current Board Members
- Policy Guidelines of Radio Tongu
Knowing the rationale behind this request, the radio station turned it down, stating that the National Media Commission (NMC) had never complained to the station about any management issues as stated by the NCA, adding that neither the NCA nor DISEC has any business regarding its management.
They further stated in the letter dated 13th April 2020 that the DISEC needs to explain to the Tongu People why it has not yet recommended the lifting of their suspension to the NCA.
Against this backdrop, the radio station decided to reopen on Saturday, 18th April 2020, with the believe that the DISEC is just depriving the people of Tongu from their favorite radio station.
Check Soga WeDey for videos of Radio Tongu this morning
